Chipotle Chicken and Sweet Potato Soup with Kale

This soup rocks. It was a huge hit the first night we ate it, and for lunches a few days after, too. I also love the technique of blending some of the soup to create a creamy effect without using cream. It gives it a lot of body and substance.

Prep time 15 minutes
Serves 10

3 pounds (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) cubes
1 medium onion, diced small
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1 teaspoon sea salt
11/2 teaspoon BBQ Dry-Rub Seasoning
11/2 pounds (680 g) chicken breasts or thighs
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 chipotle pepper from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce, seeds removed (if desired), and minced
2 quarts (1.9 liters) chicken broth
3 ounces (85 g) baby kale or regular kale, cut into small pieces
1 cup (235 ml) full-fat coconut milk
Juice from 1/2 an orange
Juice from 1/2 a lemon

1 In a 4-quart (3.8 liter) slow cooker, combine the sweet potatoes, onion, thyme, marjoram, and salt.
2 Rub the BBQ rub all over the chicken and place it in the cooker with the vegetables. Add the garlic, chipotle pepper, and chicken broth to the cooker.
3 Cover and cook on low for about 5 hours, until the chicken is tender and shreds easily.
4 Remove the chicken from the cooker and place it on a large plate. Shred it and set it aside.
5 Ladle out about a quart (946 ml) of the soup and blend it in a blender or use an immersion blender in a large bowl. Pour the blended soup back into the slow cooker. Stir in the reserved chicken, kale, coconut milk, orange juice, and lemon juice. Cover and cook for another 10 minutes.
6 Taste the soup and add a little salt, if necessary, before serving.